Thursday, May 5, 2011

"Manners Monday" Celebrates National Etiquette Week

This "Manners Monday" we are proud to support the kickoff of National Etiquette Week (May 9th-13th). We absolutely love celebrating this annual event as it provides us with the perfect excuse to jump on our soap box and shout out to the world that manners do indeed matter! It also allows us an opportunity to enlighten a few folks that may still be living in the dark ages on what manners mean today and how they essential they are to our everyday lives.

Rather than bore you with a lengthy explanation we thought it would be much more fun to devise an inspiring and educational little quiz designed to raise your EQ or Etiquette Quotient. Take a look below and find out if you are an etiquette novice, an etiquette savant or an etiquette genius.

1. Most people associate etiquette with table and dining manners or remembering to hold the door open for someone. What is etiquette anyway?

a. A stodgy old book of rules created by the wealthy

b. Guidelines for getting along with others

c. Knowing how to shake hands

d. Table skills

2. The field of etiquette and manners is much more all-encompassing than people realize. What subjects fall under the umbrella of etiquette?

a. Waiting in line at the pharmacy

b. Interviewing for a job

c. Talking on a cell phone

d. All of the above

3. There are formal and informal ways to greet people. What are the 3 most common greetings offered around the world?

a. Fist pump, kiss on the mouth, curtsy

b. Air kiss, bow, handshake

c. Handshake, nod, bow

d. Curtsy, bow, handshake

4. Proper dining skills are essential to business in today's globalized society. What is the most universally accepted and attractive dining style of eating?

a. American style of eating

b. Asian style of eating

c. Continental style of eating

d. Eating with your fingers, for sure!

5. When engaged in conversation, one should stand how far apart so as not to appear a close talker?

a. 6 inches apart

b. 12 inches apart

c. 18 inches apart

d. 24 inches apart

6. A person with impeccable manners knows how to conduct themselves in any type of situation. We know this because we would witness them...

a. Rise to shake hands

b. Greet others with a smile

c. Offer a seat to an elderly or infirmed person

d. All of the above

7. Thank you notes have become a lost art. A handwritten thank you note is always appreciated and should be sent for...

a. A gift received

b. Any act of kindness

c. An invitation to tea

d. A blind date

8. Poor cell phone etiquette is a major point of contention for many people. If you are expecting an important call while dining with others, you should...

a. Place your cell phone on the table as a centerpiece for everyone to focus on

b. Place your phone on vibration mode and keep it next to you in the even it rings

c. Place your phone on vibration mode, but keep it in your lap so that it is not visible to others

d. Tell your fellow diners ahead of time so they will know you are important

9. Social media tools such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have put the spotlight on a number of new etiquette problems. As a result, more and more people are...

a. Losing their ability to communicate in person

b. Obsessing over "FOMO" (the fear of missing out)

c. Having trouble reconciling their online vs. offline behavior

d. All of the above

10. Back in the day it was said that children should be "seen and not heard." Nowadays, parents encourage their children to speak their mind and it has spawned a generation of uncensored, outspoken adults. As a nation, we should...

a. Turn up the volume on Aretha Franklin's anthem RESPECT and demand it from our children

b. Stop glorifying the celebrities, athletes and politicians who are terrible role-models

c. Bring back the family dinner and engage in conversation at least one night of the week

d. All of the above

How did you size up? Here are the answers below. Have any specific questions you'd like to ask? In honor of National Etiquette Week we are opening up the floor and ready to answer your most difficult etiquette questions and conundrums. Looking forward to hearing from you!

1 comment:

Good idea on the quiz, which I enjoyed taking. (Even though I missed three of the answers.)

I wholeheartedly agree that good manners are all-encompassing. However, it seems that you treat the words "manners" and "etiquette" as synonyms. I would suggest that the two terms refer to quite different things, as I explain here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.